Israel keeps Gaza residents "caged in a toxic slum"

Israel has systematically deprived Palestinians of their human rights, with 1.9 million in Gaza "caged in a toxic slum from birth to death", UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Friday.

Opening a special session of the UN Human Rights Council that could set up a commission of inquiry into recent violence, Zeid sharply criticized Israel, saying its security forces had killed 60 Palestinians last Monday alone.

"Nobody has been made safer by the horrific events of the past week," he said. "End the occupation, and the violence and insecurity will largely disappear."